The reach between Rainbow Rapids and the Upper Branch Bridge almost never freezes and, while a bit more prone to ice, the flies-only section below M-37 holds many fish. The whole lower river fills with steelhead in the late fall, but ice can definitely be a problem. Floating the lower river when we have a thaw can be very productive. It definitely pays to cover a lot of water wherever you fish the Pere Marquette because the fish are usually scattered.

Continuing north, the Manistee River hosts a large run of steelhead, with many running in the fall. Tippy Dam near Wellston blocks the run, and there is good access for wading anglers on both sides of the river here. Suicide Bend, about a half-mile below the dam, is also a good location for anglers on foot, and there is an access on the northeast side of the river. The river stays open from the dam down to High Bridge even in frigid weather. Once you get away from the dam, a boat is needed to fish the river well. There are launch ramps at the dam, High Bridge, the Bear Creek mouth and Rainbow Bend. While the lower river often freezes, you can usually fish as far down as Bear Creek.

Bear Creek gets a good run of wild fish, but its fall run is not dependable, so it is better to hit this tributary in the spring. You will find winter fish holding downstream from the Bear Creek confluence.

Pine Creek -- a small stream that joins the Manistee River downstream from High Bridge -- also attracts steelhead off its mouth. While this designated trout stream tributary also produces wild steelhead, its main attraction now is water temperature. With its high groundwater content, it is considerably warmer than the main stream.

Moving north and east, the Jordan River near East Jordan hosts a good run of wild steelhead. It is open to winter steelhead fishing from Graves Crossing down to its mouth at Lake Charlevoix. It is lightly fished, and your chances are best in the lower river. You can do some wading, but a boat is often helpful.

There are a number of streams in the northwest Lower Peninsula that may yield good winter fishing but are not dependable due to ice or lack of fish. The White River below Hesperia and the Betsie River near Benzonia are both fine steelhead streams but are prone to freezing in the winter, especially the lower Betsie. The Lower Platte River below Platte Lake doesn't have the ice problems, but in some years, the fish don't hold in the river and move into the lake. But you should keep these streams in mind as we get into March.

Also, the Little Manistee and Upper Platte rivers don't open for steelhead fishing until April, but they are two of Michigan's premier steelhead streams. You should keep them on your list for spring fishing.

The fishery biologists for this region are avid steelheaders, especially Mark Tonello and Tom Rozich, and you can reach them at (231) 775-9727 for more information on Lake Michigan rivers from the Muskegon on northward.

LAKE HURON TRIBS
On the Lake Huron side of the Lower Peninsula, the Au Sable River stands out as the top winter steelhead stream. It normally receives the largest plant of steelhead smolts each year. There are only about 11 miles of river between Foote Dam and Lake Huron, so the steelhead are likely to be found in all of the good holding water. Anglers on foot can fish below the dam and near the access site at Rea Road just down from the dam, and the Whirlpool access site on the south side of the river.

Most anglers ply the steelhead water of the Au Sable from a boat. You can launch small boats below the dam and at the Whirlpool access site. You can also launch in Lake Huron a mile south of Oscoda and motor upstream. The upper river near the dam remains ice-free, but cold weather can build shelf ice in the lower river.